UK Declared War on Yugoslavia

[Idle America]

Just now, the UK declared war on me, Yugoslavia, for seemingly no reason. I had eliminated all separatist spirits, built a decent army, signed non-aggression pacts with my aggressive neighbors (thank you, agents!), and was working on expanding and upgrading my army for the inevitable German attack once the pact expired, having rejected their demands to submit. UK, France, and Romania all guarantee me, and Germany is already at war with UK, France, and USSR, so I'm feeling optimistic about the future...

...and then the UK declares war for absolutely no reason. I had received an event where they stated that my "continued trade" with Germany was considered a hostile action, but I wasn't trading with Germany. In fact, I had made a conscious effort to never trade with the Germans. In fact, I was purchasing large amounts of steel and rubber from the UK. In fact, the Germans had a war goal on me at that very moment.

But nope, Churchill decides to attack me for no discernible reason. Is it because I wasn't at war with the Axis and/or in the Allies? And why exactly can Germany take the focus that grants them a wargoal, when a non-aggression pact stops them in their tracks? Shouldn't the focus be locked until it's gone?

What I'm saying is, I'm confused, and angry, and kind of hungry. That last part is only slightly relevant.

 

[Captured Joe]

Yeah, that issue's been in the game since the release of Death or Dishonor; it should only happen when historical foci are OFF, though, so I assume that was the case here too.

 

[Idle America]

Yeah, that issue's been in the game since the release of Death or Dishonor; it should only happen when historical foci are OFF, though, so I assume that was the case here too.

Yep. I wish they'd fix it.

 

[Rurikson]

And why exactly can Germany take the focus that grants them a wargoal, when a non-aggression pact stops them in their tracks? Shouldn't the focus be locked until it's gone?

Should it? Really. This wouldn't be reasonable, wouldn't it? The non-aggression pact stops them starting an attack. Not more. Not less.

 

[Idle America]

Should it? Really. This wouldn't be reasonable, wouldn't it? The non-aggression pact stops them starting an attack. Not more. Not less.

Then why not make the focus remove the non-aggression pact? Earlier focuses are either locked or skipped if they have a pact, so why not this one? All I'm looking for is a little consistency.

 

[squid_hills]

Does anyone know what on the UK tree is causing this? I've seen it happen a few times recently while playing as various countries looking to use guarantees on Yugo as backdoors into wars with Germany and Italy, and I've always had my plans scuppered by the UK shouting "Surprise!" and declaring war on them before Germany or Italy do.

 

[Cpt.Cross]

Does anyone know what on the UK tree is causing this? I've seen it happen a few times recently while playing as various countries looking to use guarantees on Yugo as backdoors into wars with Germany and Italy, and I've always had my plans scuppered by the UK shouting "Surprise!" and declaring war on them before Germany or Italy do.

Its not a focus on the tree but rather the British version of the German event. When Austria is annexed Germany and Britain will get an event to pressure Yugoslavia. The event has several time periods where it can continue with the pressure usually leading to an instant war declaration, as in war is declared immediately at the end of the event chain.

The British Version it similar except that in Historical the first event is as far as it will go,

 

[darkyouck]

Well, historically the UK did put pressure on Yugoslavia to enter the war on allies side and wouldn't accept neutrality from them. Germany did accept neutrality from Yugoslavia if they did join the Tripartite Pact in name only. So Prince Paul did so in the end ( despite being pro allies ) and the UK did encourage a coup against the regent to put the young king in place + a new government which would refuse to sign the tripartite pact ( and maybe join the allies ) which prompted Germany to invade Yugoslavia in the end despite it not being planned.

Yugoslav accession to the Tripartite Pact - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I guess the way the game is made is you signing a non aggression pact with Germany meant you joined the Tripartite Pact which prompted hostility from the UK.

 

[Idle America]

Well, historically the UK did put pressure on Yugoslavia to enter the war on allies side and wouldn't accept neutrality from them. Germany did accept neutrality from Yugoslavia if they did join the Tripartite Pact in name only. So Prince Paul did so in the end ( despite being pro allies ) and the UK did encourage a coup against the regent to put the young king in place + a new government which would refuse to sign the tripartite pact ( and maybe join the allies ) which prompted Germany to invade Yugoslavia in the end despite it not being planned.

Yugoslav accession to the Tripartite Pact - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I guess the way the game is made is you signing a non aggression pact with Germany meant you joined the Tripartite Pact which prompted hostility from the UK.

Problem there, is the UK has declared war on Yugoslavia in numerous other games when the AI had no deals with the Germans.

 

[Akela]

Does anyone know what on the UK tree is causing this? I've seen it happen a few times recently while playing as various countries looking to use guarantees on Yugo as backdoors into wars with Germany and Italy, and I've always had my plans scuppered by the UK shouting "Surprise!" and declaring war on them before Germany or Italy do.

There's a chain of British events that can send a 'demand' to Yugoslavia (demand in inverted commas here because Yugoslavia doesn't actually get the option to do anything in response, just a one-option event noting that the Brits are making demands).

Short version (assuming I'm reading the event files correctly), if the UK is Democratic, at war with Germany, and Historical Focuses is not on, then there's an 81% chance that they will declare war with Yugoslavia eventually (I think there's a delay of minimum six months and maximum two-and-a-half years, but I'm not 100% sure how the time delay for triggering events works).

The only reasonable way to stop the event is for Yugoslavia to join a faction before the war declaration or pray for the UK to break the chain on it's own (as noted, only a 19% chance for this). If Yugoslavia is at war with Germany before the UK is, that also works - but this only stops the first event which should fire within about 4 days of the UK going to war. Once that's happened, Yugoslavia going to war with Germany will not stop the second event that actually triggers the UK declaring war.

Otherwise, the event will also stop if the UK isn't democratic, doesn't exist, isn't at war with Germany anymore, or Yugoslavia doesn't exist, but obviously those are ... less than practical as workarounds.

 

[squid_hills]

That's nucking futz. The devs need to go back and re-work that, because it is utterly insane that you can't stop the second event from firing by being at war with Germany. I was actually playing as Yugo last night and was four days (FOUR!) away from finishing a justification on Germany when the UK declared on me. This setup is full-on pants-on-head crazy.

 

[Idle America]

That's nucking futz. The devs need to go back and re-work that, because it is utterly insane that you can't stop the second event from firing by being at war with Germany. I was actually playing as Yugo last night and was four days (FOUR!) away from finishing a justification on Germany when the UK declared on me. This setup is full-on pants-on-head crazy.

Or at the very least, give Yugoslavia an option to actually respond to the demands. The last one could be "UK issues ultimatum," where you have to pick who you're going to war with, UK or Germany. Anything is better than the current system.